Even while the human rights record of the Indian Army is being challenged, it has been steadily working to improve its goodwill among the people of Jammu and Kashmir by reaching out to pregnant women in distress. On Tuesday, it saved the life of 25-year-old Atika Begum and her child in the Ringbala village on the Line of Control in Machhal, Kupwara.
The woman, who was seven months pregnant, developed complications and pre-term labour around 4 p.m. Since the approach road to her village was covered in three to four feet of snow, the Machhal Brigade came to her help. Naib Subedar Prashant Dubey, the Medical JCO of 45 Rashtriya Rifles, rushed to her village along with a Quick Reaction Team. Atika was then evacuated. To improve the response time, Captain Arjune of 45 RR moved from Dudi to T Sunt village from the other side, along with an army ambulance.
Under the headlights of the ambulance, the doctor resuscitated Atika and on finding that the unborn child was under distress, administered her medicines and successfully arrested the preterm labour, thus saving the life of both the mother and the child. The lives of two other pregnant women were saved by the Army in Machhal earlier this month.
On January 5, Zarifa of Pushwari village reported to the Machhal Army Medical Room with labour pain. Since hers was a complicated pregnancy, she was moved from Dudi to Z-Gali and then to an army hospital in Kalaroos. She delivered a healthy male baby who was christened “Jaanbaaz” by his parents.
On January 20, Fatah of Ringbala village was assisted by Naib Subedar Prashant Dubey in her normal delivery. Since she was in labour for more than 12 hours, she was dehydrated and her vitals were not stable. But the JCO provided immediate resuscitation to her and a healthy girl child was born.
